NORTHRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of Northridge High School is to provide meaningful and challenging educational experiences to develop persons of character and responsibility who will confidently adapt to change in a global society.
EXIT SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES
A graduate of Northridge High School will:
- Have the skills, attitudes and awareness of resources, which will enable him/her to be a lifetime learner.
- Be able to interact responsibly with the political, social and ecological environment.
- Be able to communicate effectively through speech and writing.
- Be able to think critically, creatively and logically to solve problems.
- Respect others and appreciate diversity.
- Be able to evaluate various occupational opportunities in light of his/her aptitudes and interests.
- Have the skills and understanding necessary to pursue physical and emotional health as central elements of a satisfying life.
- Be able to utilize changing technologies.
- Have awareness of his/her aptitudes for creative expression and of the discipline necessary to develop and enjoy them.
- Possess the interpersonal skills to work cooperatively.
Description
Northridge High School is located in the town of Middlebury, Indiana. Middlebury is a small but growing community located in northern Indiana. The town is located near both Goshen and Elkhart. Middlebury Community Schools serve Middlebury, York, and Jefferson Townships in Elkhart County. At the census of 2000, there were 2,956 people living in the city of Middlebury. The racial makeup of the city is 97.02% white, .41% Hispanic or Latino, .17% African American, .14% Native American, and 1.29% Asian. Of 1,068 households, 42.4% have children under the age of 18. The median age is 34 years old. The median income for a household is $55,000 and the median family income is $60,313.
Northridge High School is a comprehensive four-year school that is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. The 2006-2007 enrollment is approximately 1250 students, served by 65 professional staff members. The average attendance rate for the last 3 years has been 96.8%. The average graduation rate for the last three years has been 92.8%. 41% of the graduates earn an academic honors diploma and 83.7% of them earn a Core 40 diploma.
Students may earn a diploma endorsement in one of the following curricula: Indiana Academic Honors, Academic, Business, Health Occupations, Family and Consumer Science, Industrial Technology, Technology or Vocational. Seniors may enroll in one of three "transition" programs: the Elkhart Area Vocational School, dual credit at Glen Oaks College, Goshen College, IUSB and Ivy Tech, or a 1/2 day work experience program.
The school day consists of four ninety-minute class periods. The teacher's focus on student
centered learning strategies with emphasis on the use of technology. The school year is
divided into 4 terms. A student can earn up to 16 credits each school year toward the 40
credits required for graduation.
Northridge has developed a strong tradition of accomplishments in interscholastic athletes
and music competition. Known as the "Raiders", the school is a member of the
Northern Lakes Conference, which is comprised of eight schools who compete in 19 sports.
A high number of students are involved in music ensembles. NHS students compete in the
Academic Super Bowl, Spell Bowl, Science Olympiad, speech contests and a variety of math
contests.
The atmosphere at Northridge is conducive for learning. The teacher's have high expectations for their students and work hard to help them achieve the expectations. There is excellent rapport between the students and staff at NHS. The school enjoys excellent support of the parents and community.
NHS Staff Breakdown
| Full-Time certified | 64 | |
| Full-Time teachers | 56 | |
| Full-Time counselors | 4 | |
| Full-Time media specialist | 1 | |
| Full-Time administrators | 4 |
Description and Location of the Curriculum
The curriculum of Northridge High School consists of all the required offerings for Indiana high schools. Courses in Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, Health, and Physical Education are accompanied by elective courses in those same areas plus Art, Business, Family and Consumer Sciences, Foreign Languages, Music, and Technology Education. Juniors and Seniors may choose to attend vocational courses at the Elkhart Area Career Center. Seniors may opt to participate in the work experience program. There are AP and Dual Enrollment opportunities for advanced students in several departments. An above average number of students at Northridge earn both Core 40 and Academic Honors Diplomas.
Science Department
At present time the science department offers the following courses: Biology I, Honors Biology, Integrated Chemistry & Physics, Earth and Space, Chemistry I, Physics I, General Chemistry I, ACP Biology, AP Physics, and AP Physics Prep and Research. In order for a student to earn the Core 40 Diploma, they need to earn science credits in Biology, Integrated Chemistry and Physics, and Chemistry I. The track for the advanced students should be Biology, Chemistry I and Physics I. The science department also offers four more courses for the career minded science student. AP Physics is a yearlong course that is designed to enhance the Physics I class. This class follows the College Board Entrance Examination guidelines and the students in this course will continue on to the AP Prep and Research course, where they will be required to take the AP exam. Northridge science students can also earn college credit by enrolling in General Chemistry I or ACP Biology Course. These dual enrollment courses allow the high school student to earn high school credit and college credit if desired. The college credits are offered by Glen Oaks and IUSB respectively.
Art Department
The Visual Arts Department consists of eight Introduction to 2-Dimensional Art, eight Introduction to 3-Dimensional Art, five Ceramic classes, five Advanced Ceramic classes, two Sculpture/Jewelry classes, two Drawing/Painting classes, two Advanced Drawing/Painting classes, four Computer Graphic classes, and four Advanced Computer Graphic classes. Northridge High School is on a four-block schedule. Each class lasts 90 minutes and meets every day. The Advanced Ceramics, Advanced Drawing/Painting, and Advanced Computer Graphic classes will improve their skill and knowledge of the media offered. The student will focus on creating an individual style after studying the styles of other artists. Students will use self-evaluation based on the parameters given by the instructor. These objectives relate to the media, subject and compositional aspects of a particular subject. The student will use the guidelines of Emotionalism, Imitationalism, and Formalism for projects based on specific subject matter. This will enhance academic and physical understanding of the medium while skill level improves through production.
Presently, the Art Department consists of four teachers
Business Department
Digital Communication Tools is a new class for 06-07 required for graduation that covers keyboarding, voice recognition, handwriting recognition, and digital scanning input technologies in addition to Personal Digital Assistant and introductory computer application skills. All other classes are electives. Computer Applications covers advanced word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation software skills in addition to an introduction to database and publications software. Business Foundations is an introductory business course that covers free enterprise system concepts, marketing, banking, and careers in business. Entrepreneurship is an advanced class that develops skills needed to effectively organize, develop, create, and manage their own business. Accounting I and II uses manual and automated accounting techniques to develop a body of skills and knowledge involving analyzing, recording, reporting, and decision making for businesses. Personal Finance is a new course offering for 06-07 that focuses on personal financial planning skills such as money and credit management.
Industrial Technology Department
The Industrial Technology Department at Northridge presently has three offerings. Drafting/AutoCAD I & II is a class offering beginning drafting concepts and AutoCAD. We cover both mechanical and architectural drawing with several students continuing at the Elkhart Area Career Center. Secondly we offer Manufacturing Systems I & II, which is a woodworking, program with some emphasis on mass production. As Elkhart County is one of the nations leaders in the recreational vehicle and manufactured housing industries, is seems practical and necessary to provide these areas of training for our youth. Finally we offer Technology Systems II, with the Lab Volt System & I. We have 16 computerized stations where pairs of students rotate through the lab to experience areas of: flight simulation, Desktop publishing, video recording, CNC milling, and others.
Media Center
The Library Media Center plays an integral role in supporting the school’s curriculum as well as encouraging students to pursue individual interests and vocations. Through flexible access individual students, groups, classes and staff are able to access information and technologies at any time of the school day. Books, databases, Internet access, computer labs and digital tools are components of the media program that augment a well-rounded education.
Social Studies Department
The Social Studies Department currently offers the following courses: world history, law education, world geography, honors United States History, United States History, current issues and problems, sociology, psychology, economics, honors government, and government. During the 2006-2007 school year the department has decided to drop law education and world geography. The department will be adding Indiana Studies and ACP United States History. The department will still offer United States History. The Indiana Studies course will incorporate parts of the law education curriculum. World history will have more of an emphasis on geography and will be split into two nine-week courses covering ancient world history and modern world history. Current issues and problem is a one-semester class that focuses national and international issues that are prevalent in today’s society. ACP United States History is a one-semester course that covers the evolution of American society: political economic, social structure, racial and ethnic groups, world diplomacy of the United States, territorial expansion, industrialization, urbanization, international events and their impact on American history. Honors government is a one-credit course on American national government with a focus on political philosophy and decision-making. The course uses a college level text. Psychology is a one-semester course surveying major theories of human behavior and learning. Sociology is a one-semester course that examines the behavior of human beings in groups and investigates the impact of a social environment on the individual.
Physical Education Department
The Physical Education Department incorporates courses stressing the importance of lifetime fitness and balancing the health triangle (Social, Mental, and Physical Development). Courses offered include, Freshman PE, Fitness and Weight Training, Aquatics including Lifeguard Training, First Aid and Anatomy and Health Education.
English Department
The Northridge High School English department offers a comprehensive four-year program of study. During the freshman year, students who have applied and who have been selected can enroll in Honors English 9. Other freshmen students take English 9. Both Honors English 10 and English 10 are offered during the sophomore year. As juniors, students who choose and are recommended by English teachers may take Honors American Literature. Other college preparatory students take American Literature. Juniors who intend to enter the work force or technical trades following graduation take English 11. In the senior year, students may choose AP World Literature and Composition, which prepares students for the Advanced Placement test in English; World Literature and Composition; ACP English, which allows students to earn English credit at selected colleges and universities; and English 12. Some students may also be recommended for GQE Readiness, a course that helps students who may have difficulty passing the Graduation Qualifying Exam. One section each of English 9, English 10, English 11, and English 12 is team taught by an English and Special Education teacher. Students may also elect Publications class, where they are involved in the production of the student newspaper, the Lanceor the yearbook, the Shield.
Family and Consumer Sciences Department
Family and Consumer Sciences at Northridge High School are vocational and includes seven out of twelve course offering. Courses offered are: Interpersonal Relationships, Adult Roles and Responsibilities/Family Relations, Child Development, Nutrition and Foods 1 & 2, and Work Experience. There is a need for more course offerings with additional staffing. Suggested additions include: Stress management, Experimental foods, Advanced Child Development/Parenting, Interior Design/Housing, FACS Issues and Applications.
Music Department
The music department offers the following courses: Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Jazz Band, Concert Choir, Chamber Choir, Women’s Chorus, Men’s Chorale, Starlights, and Northern Lights. Northridge is on a four-block schedule. Currently each music class is split in two equal 43-minute classes. Students with either participate in segments or choose to use one segment as a study hall period. Students work in Band and Choir classes on group and individual practice and performance habits. Self-evaluation and teacher evaluation is consistently given to determine the personal growth of each student. Students receive outside critiques through area competitions.
Special Education Department
Students with disabilities are serviced through the special education department at Northridge High School. Through the variety of services offered the academic and emotional needs of students are met with individual accommodations. Five certified teachers and nine Para-professionals collaborate with families, staff throughout the district, and local and state agencies to support each student in attaining his or her highest potential. Among the least restricted environments offered are a functional skills classroom, direct academics, collaborative instruction, and consultation. Of the Northridge student population ten percent receive a special education. An integral part of an individual’s education plan includes post high school goals. Students are supported with college testing and application, self-advocacy, job skills and training, and connecting with adult service agencies.
Math Department
The courses taught by the math teachers include Business Math, Algebra 1, Algebra II, Honors Algebra II, Geometry, Honors Geometry, Computer Programming I and II, Probability and Statistics, Pre-Calculus/Trigonometry, and Advanced Placement Calculus. Electives include computer programming I, which is taught in the C++ programming language and programming II, which is taught in Java. Each of these courses cover data types, functions, control statements, loops, arrays, string manipulation, and data structures. Computer I programs are outputted in a text based environment while computer II is outputted in a graphical user interface environment. The Math department also teaches Business Math as an elective. This course covers methods of collecting data, organization of data, graphical techniques for exhibiting data together with measures of central tendency and variation, basic laws of probability, sampling theory, hypothesis testing, and making inferences from samples. The advanced courses taught by math teaches include Pre-Calculus/Trigonometry which covers relations and functions, logarithmic and exponential functions, trigonometry in triangles, trigonometric functions, trigonometric Identities and equations, polar coordinates and complex numbers, sequences and series and data analysis. In addition, Advanced Placement Calculus is taught which concentrates on limits and continuity, differentials, applications of derivatives, integrals, applications of integration.
Foreign Language Deparment
The Foreign Language Department offers levels one through four in both German and Spanish. All foreign language classes are elective unless a student is working toward an academic endorsement in which case, a second year is required for a college track endorsement and a third year is required for the Indiana Academic Endorsement. The first two levels are general in nature providing a basic introduction to grammar and vocabulary as well as culture. Levels three and four explore more advanced aspects of the language. Future considerations for our department include an ACP course for each language and providing an additional staff member.